Default Insurance Fund (DIF)

Default Insurance Fund (DIF) 

Workers’ compensation covers every worker in the ACT. Every employer must have an insurance policy that covers their employees in the instance of a workplace injury or death. In the instance that your employer does not have a mandatory workers’ compensation policy, you have access to the Default Insurance Fund as an ACT worker.  

The Default Insurance Fund, or the DIF, is a safety net mechanism established by the ACT Government to provide compensation for privately employed workers who: 

• suffer personal injury arising out of, or in the course of, their employment, 

• suffer personal injury on an employment-related journey, 

• suffer personal injury on a journey between the worker’s home and workplace; 

• contract a disease for which their employment was a significant contributing factor; or 

• suffer an aggravation, acceleration or recurrence of a disease for which their employment was a significant contributing factor; and 

• have NO OTHER access to workers' compensation benefits. 

If you have sustained a workplace injury and need to access the DIF, contact the Injured Workers Service via injuredworkerscbr@unionsact.org.au or on (02) 8294 5181.